Still stand by my word not to contest next assembly polls: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah Tuesday termed the growing clamour within his party to make him chief minister once again as an expression of supporters' "affection", but said he still stands by his word about not contesting the next assembly polls.
The Congress Legislature party Leader said he saw nothing wrong in the demand being made by his supporters.
"I have made it very very clear that the chief minister's post is not vacant now (hence no question about me becoming CM). What our people are saying is, after next election I should become chief minister once again," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, he said, "Is there anything that I should not become (Chief Minister) if people give their blessings? Where is that I should not become, if people bless our party?"
"Have they (supporters) said I should become now? In the 2023 election if people bless Congress, Siddaramaiah may become chief minister - this is what they are saying. What is wrong in that?" he asked.
However, Siddaramaiah said, he stands by his earlier word, not to contest the next assembly polls.
"I have said, I will not contest next election, but is there anything that they (supporters) should also say what I have said, they are expressing their opinion.
"I have expressed my opinion that I will not contest next election, even today I will abide by it," he said.
Siddaramaiah noted that when people at meetings demand that he should become CM once again, he responds by saying, "if people bless let us see".
"What is wrong in responding like that to a particular situation,?" he asked. He also blamed the media for making it a big issue and said, "Where have I said, I will become CM?"
Ahead of the May 2018 assembly polls, Siddaramaiah had said it could "most likely" be his last election.
Earlier, during the 2013 assembly polls too, Siddaramaiah had said that it was his last election and went on to become chief minister after the polls.
For the last few days there has been a growing clamour among Congress legislators to make Siddaramaiah CM once again, which has irked JD(S) leaders and the incumbent Chief Minister of the coalition government H D Kumaraswamy.
The issue also had led to a bitter public spat between Siddaramaiah, and his bete noire and JD(S) state President A H Vishwanath.
He said state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa was "dreaming" about forming the government and becoming chief minister has become a "laughing stock" in the eyes of the people.
"He has been saying this from the day one. He did become the chief minister with 104 MLAs as the single largest party, but had to resign in three days, unable to prove the majority.
He should be ashamed about repeatedly claiming that he will become the chief minister? If he had said it once people might have taken it seriously, but repeatedly saying it, no one will believe him," he said.
Yeddyurappa had recently claimed that there is an "atmosphere" for the BJP to form government in the state, and had said longevity of the coalition government would depend on the stand taken by about 20 "disgruntled" Congress legislators after Lok Sabha poll results.
On his spat with JD(S) state President Vishwanth, Siddaramaiah said, "I have already said what I had to on the issue, I don't want to discuss it publicly again.
"I will discuss it in the coordination committee meeting, there ends the matter." Growing differences between alliance partners has resulted in a public spat between leaders of the two parties in the past few days.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
